Sonia to address rally in Gujarat today

Ahmedabad: Congress President Sonia Gandhi is scheduled to address a rally in poll-bound Gujarat on Monday.

According to reports, Gandhi will speak at a rally in Sidhpur in North Gujarat.

During her whirlwind tour of the state last week, Gandhi had sharpened her attack on Chief Minister Narendra Modi who is seeking a third consecutive term in office.

She had accused Modi and his BJP-led government of failing to meet the aspirations of the people of the state.

"They (Modi and BJP) have no interest in poor and common people but its only interest is development of its own and a select few people. The development which was promised in a big way is nowhere to be seen in this tribal land...because what they promised were hollow and false," Sonia said.

On Sunday, Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh also campaigned in Gujarat. Addressing a rally in Vansada, Dr Singh appealed to the voters of Gujarat to get rid of politicians indulging in divisive politics.

"We don't indulge in politics of dividing the society like the opposition parties... Such politics cannot benefit any political party for a longer period. Time has come that you people should rid Gujarat of such politics and don't let such people come to power who try to get votes by dividing our society and country," he said.

Dr. Singh further said the public health sector was not in a good state in Gujarat and new employment opportunities for the youth were also not being generated.

"Development in Gujarat is only for a few people. A big portion of the population here has remained untouched by this economic development. Because of the policies of the state government, there is an imbalance in the society," he said.

However, rebutting Dr. Singh's charges, Modi accused him of playing votebank politics.

"The Prime Minister is playing votebank politics in the name of minority and majority (communities). It is sad that the Prime Minister of the country cannot rise above votebank politics," Modi said, addressing a rally in Valsad in south Gujarat on Sunday.

Gujarat will go to the polls in two phases on December 13 and 17. The counting of votes will take place on December 20.